The Pakistani Mock Wedding has been a hallmark of NYU Abu Dhabi, a cultural night that has brought together students and faculty from all classes and backgrounds to enjoy an evening marked with dance, music and comradery. With delicious Pakistani cuisine to add to the celebration, the mock wedding has proved to be an event bolstering cultural fervor and reminds many of home. This year's wedding was characterized by a unique twist. Not one, not two, but three couples were selected to tie the knot. The weddings were held on the Mar. 26th, at the East Forum, which was transformed into a marriage hall with a golden chandelier, intricately draped fabrics and glistening fairy lights. The energy surrounding the much-awaited wedding was magnified even further due to the Pakistani Student Association’s (PSA’s) tagline: “Whose fairy tale will come true?”

This year’s wedding was much anticipated as it was held in person after two years of no in-person events due to the pandemic. Moreover, the relaxation of restrictions, in line with public health guidelines, ensured that the event could take place with utmost zest, and maximized the number of people who could attend. There were three main events, each one with a different first-year couple. More than two hundred students were able to attend and engage in the festive occasion in total. It was discovered after talking to the PSA Executive Board that the selection process for the couples was also quite different this time around. Unlike previous years when the PSA team chose the bride and groom at their own discretion, this year an interest form was released where first-years could show their interest in becoming potential grooms or brides. The President of PSA, Usman Ali, Class of 2022, also stated that he reached out to cultural SIGs for them to nominate people who could be interested in such a thing.

The PSA has held this hallmark event since its inception, and the tradition has always been to choose one Pakistani student as the bride or groom, with their partner being an international student. This was also the case this year, as three Pakistanis, namely Maria Wani, Wajid Shafi and Shayan Ahmed, all Class of 2025 were chosen as the bride and grooms, respectively. There was also a ten minute segment which included people being pulled out from the audience and asked traditional matchmaking questions. In addition to this, the events were filled with dance and music performances that the dancers, choreographers and musicians had been practicing for over a month. Dean of Students Michael Martinez, Associate Vice Chancellor Kyle Farley and Student Life staff also attended the wedding.

Ali commented, “The last wedding I attended at NYUAD was my own in freshman year, and now I am organizing this one in my senior year.” Thus, many first-years and sophomores were pleasantly surprised and intrigued by the event.

The groom of the third wedding, Wajid Shafi, stated that it was very fun keeping secrets from his friends, and although the dance rehearsals and the actual event were really tiring, he felt it was all worth it in the end.